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Indonesia worries about being added to Trump’s trade hit list
Thursday, May 16th, 2019
at , World

Its large trade surplus with the US may invite further scrutiny by the Trump administration, says minister

JAKARTA • Indonesia is worried about being targeted by US President Donald Trump in a wider protectionist push, as trade tensions between the US and China continue to escalate, a senior minister said.

The South-East Asian nation’s large trade surplus with the US may invite further scrutiny by the Trump administration even as the spat between the world’s two biggest economies offers potential gains to Indonesia, Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said.

A prolonged dispute may also weigh on Indonesia’s current account deficit, foreign inflows and currency, he said in an interview in Jakarta on Tuesday.

World markets were rattled this week as China and the US announced tit-for-tat tariffs on hundreds of goods, adding to concerns about potential spillover effects for countries across Asia.

Indonesia, which last year ran a trade surplus of US$10.7 billion (RM44.62 billion) with the US, was previously included in a probe ordered by Trump into countries suspected of abusing the trade relationship.

The country’s access to a US preferential trade programme is currently under review.

“Indonesia and China have similarities, only at a different scale. Both of us create a deficit for the US side,” Brodjonegoro said.

“Now the question is, how can we approach the US so that Indonesia will not be part of their idea of trade protectionism and how can we take advantage of potential declining Chinese exports to the US?”

Indonesian officials are “intensively” lobbying the Trump administration to remain part of the Generalised System of Preferences, Brodjonegoro said.

The programme is designed to promote economic development by allowing duty-free entry for thousands of products from designated beneficiary countries.

Earlier this year, the US indicated it would remove India from the programme.

“We are still discussing, lobbying, making sure that we will be safe from this kind of treatment,” Brodjonegoro said.

“I cannot say it’s positive, but we haven’t heard negative things so far. But you never know,” he said, citing the case of India.

The uncertainty over trade relations with the US comes as Indonesia seeks to boost exports to help curb its current account deficit, often cited as a key vulnerability for South-East Asia’s biggest economy.

The deficit was 2.6% of GDP in the first quarter, above the central bank’s projection of a 2.5% average for the year.

“We know the escalation of this trade war could impact the currency. So, there will be pressure on the current account deficit, our portfolio inflows and, in the end, our currency,” Brodjonegoro said.

The current-account data and trade war concerns have seen the rupiah give up gains made in recent months, and was at 14,440 against the dollar yesterday after weakening to a fourmonth low a day before.

The currency is down about 2.6% over the past month to be among the worst performers in Asia.